Roles of galactose 3′-O- sulfation in signaling

Galactose-3'-O- sulfation is specific and exists in many important molecules from various human tissues, and the sulfation modification results in alteration of host molecule recognition and interaction with partner molecules which lead to signaling. The modification is thus associated with the regulation of cellular adhesion and interaction, and involved in cell recognition and even in tumor metastasis process since the binding affinity to their extracellular ligands has changed. Sulfated glycoproteins or glycolipids may also trigger signaling in the cells, which is important in regulating cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interaction, and in adhesion molecule transcription activation.